Having a webcam on your computer allows you to interact with friends, family and colleagues in a whole new way, opening up opportunities for fun face-to-face conversations and adding a personal touch to remote meetings. If you’re learning online, being able to see your tutor can make such sessions far more effective.
Yet despite the many benefits, webcams can also be a threat. Malware on your computer can target your webcam, turning it on without your knowledge and allowing others to spy on both you and your home.
The primary function of your webcam is to provide a clear image. Many cameras capture images in high-definition, up to 720p, a must these days if you are sharing videos to social media sites. You can also buy some models in 4K UHD for ultrasharp images. The Apple computer user most likely to buy a 3rd party external webcam is the Apple Mac mini user, followed by a Mac Cylinder or Pro tower owner. These are the only two computer systems that Apple sells which don't include a webcam or even a built-in microphone for that matter.
Blocking the lens of your webcam using a piece of opaque tape or a custom-made cover is a quick and easy way to protect your privacy, but if you want a more effective and permanent solution to the problem, you need to learn how to disable a webcam.
For all the steps listed below, you’ll usually need administrator level access. It’s important to note that, in the majority of cases, a computer’s webcam and microphone are connected so disabling one will automatically disable the other.
How to disable a webcam on a Mac
In recent years all Mac laptop and desktop computers, with the sole exception of the Mac Mini, have been supplied with a built-in iSight camera, chiefly for use with Facetime and a range of web-based applications.
Octave for mac. The most straightforward way to safeguard your privacy is to go to the Parental Controls settings and click on the box marked ‘Disable built-in camera’, but this only works if you are certain no one else has access to your computer.
If you want to be sure to disable your iSight camera, either on a temporary or permanent basis, you’ll need to remove a key file from inside the system library folder on your hard drive.
The Library folder is now hidden by default to prevent accidental access. It’s important to note that files within these folders are crucial to the operation of your computer and that you should only proceed with extreme caution.
To access your Library folder, begin by making sure the Finder menu is being displayed on the top left of your screen by clicking on the Finder icon. Click on Go and then select the option Go to Folder from the drop-down menu. Type /Library into the search box that appears and click OK. The Library folder will then open in a new window.
Scroll down the list of contents of Library until you find a folder named QuickTime then double click to open it. The key file inside the QuickTime folder is named:”QuickTimeUSBVDCDigitizer.component”. Select this file by clicking on it and then press Command + c to make a copy of it. Create a new folder (Command + Shift + n) and paste the copied file (Command + v) into it. Name this folder “webcam backup”. This makes it easy to restore your webcam in the future should you ever change your mind.
Once you have made a copy, return to the Quicktime folder and delete the original file. If you then try to use your webcam you’ll receive a message informing you there is no longer any camera available on the computer.
How to disable a webcam on a Windows PC
Autocad lt for mac system requirements. In the case of a Windows PC, you can disable your webcam by using Windows Device Manager. This can be found by opening the Control Panel followed by the System and Security folder, followed finally by the System folder.
Open the Device Manager and look for an entry under “Imaging devices”. Your webcam should be listed and, once selected, you’ll have the option of either disabling it or removing it completely from the list of devices used by your machine.
Has your privacy ever been compromised by a webcam? Have you used the above methods yourself or do you know of other ways to disable a built-in camera? Become part of the conversation by adding your own comments and experiences in the box below.
Mac Webcams That Just WorkLooking to buy a driver-free, fully Macintosh compatible webcam? Have USB 2.0, 3.0 or 3.1 ports? The external webcam models listed here are UVC - USB Video Class compliant and are simply Plug and Play on modern Macs running MacOS Catalina, Mojave and Sierra, as well as OSX El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks, Lion, and Leopard. Some older cameras made for Windows PC's may not work on Apple Macintosh computers, or Mac web camera drivers may not exist.Save yourself wasted money and frustration. Make certain you have USB 2.0 speed or faster ports, OSX 10.5+, and a Mac faster than 1Ghz. You can then confidently choose one of these known working and Apple friendly driverless UVC webcam models listed below and elsewhere on our site. We're devoted to tracking the Mac friendly web camera and video conferencing peripheral scene. Plug-N-Play Mac Webcam PicksRecommended UVC compliant external cams for OSX:Best Logitech Cameras For MacC922 Stream Pro w/Tripod Mount Improved Frame Rates Up To 60FPS #1 CHOICE : Mac Compatible HD Webcam With Standard Tripod Mount Like: Revised C920-series optimized for high frame-rate live streaming: 1080p @ 30FPS and 720p @ 60FPS with H.264 video compression. Optical quality glass lens. Stereo Dual microphones. For 90% of Mac users, this is your BEST CHOICE for high-quality video capture, conferencing and live streams. Besides Amazon, you can find competitive pricing for the C922 webcam on eBay as well. Dislike: Logitech packages two different confusing SKU's: The C922 model comes bundled with a mini-tripod, the C922X (x=without) model doesn't. Wide-Angle HD Camera 90 Degree Field Of View #2 CHOICE : Premium Logitech C930e HD Webcam Incredible State-Of-The-Art Image Detail, Smooth Autofocus, H.264 Compression. Like: Tripod Mount. 1080p HD Webcam. Zeiss Optical Lens. Dual Microphones. Dislike: You Might Not Prefer A 90 Degree Wide-Angle View. Logitech C920S Cam High Quality : Great Value #3 CHOICE : Mac Compatible Logitech HD Webcam Excellent detail and clarity, Hardware Autofocus, H.264 Compression Like: Tripod Mounting Hole. Zeiss Glass Lens. Stereo Microphone. Privacy Shutter. Though superceded by the newer 922, this remains an excellent camera - especially at it's lower street price. Dislike: None. Excellent All-Around Choice - Razor Sharp. Portable HD Webcam Tripod Camera Mount Like: Lower-priced 1080p HD webcam. Glass lens. Standard camera tripod mount for flexibility in camera angles and placement. Folds flat for travel. Dislike: Considered a 'Portable' cam - Has a rather short 3' cable. Best Creative Labs Cameras For MacCreative Live Cam Chat 720p HD Resolution Like: 720p HD Resolution, Fixed Focus, Echo Cancelling Microphone. Dislike: Image not as sharp as Logitech C310 at this price point. Best Microsoft Cameras For MacMicrosoft HD Pro Webcam For Mac Optical Lens w/AutoFocus Like: Premium 1080p Resolution. Excellent Audio, Color Balance and Light Sensitivity. Dislike: Flexi-Bend Clip May Not Be Ideal - But Has Standard Tripod Mounting Hole. MS LifeCam HD For Mac 720p HD With AutoFocus Like: Autofocus. Sharp Optical Glass Lens. Excellent Color Fidelity. Dislike: No Tripod Mount. 720p Max Resolution HD Camera. Other 3rd-Party Apple Compatible CamerasAlthough Logitech, Creative Labs, and Microsoft dominate the OSX friendly videoconferencing cam market, several other brand-name cameras are worthy of consideration, espcially if you're on a budget.Hue Flexible Neck Webcam Excellent For Adult Video Play Like: Ultimate Positioning Freedom. Clear HD Image. Internal Mic. Dislike: Manual Focus. LED Lights Can Be Annoying Head-On. Hewlett-Packard UVC Webcam HP's Premium HD Camera Like: 1080p Resolution. Autofocus. High-Quality Microphone. Dislike: Snapshot Buttons Non-Functional on OSX. Excellent HD Cam. RocketFish Mac HD Webcam Autofocus + Stereo Microphones Like: 720-1080P Resolution. Good Light Sensitivity and Color Balance. Dislike: Discontinued. Snapshot Button Non-Functional. Best Cheap Webcam RocketFish 720p HD Camera Like: Great Image! Responsive AutoFocus and Excellent Microphone Quality. Dislike: Discontinued - But Still Available. Flimsy Mounting Clip. 1080p HD GearHead Webcam Cheap 1080p Mac Webcam Like: High HD Resolution. Auto-Focus. Stereo Mics. Dislike: Lacks Precision Optics, Not As Sharp An Image. Specialty Webcams For MacOSBeyond conventional chat, streaming and capture cams, this website also features more specialized Apple compatible camera solutions. These include: Document Cameras for educators and presentations. Mac compatible USB Digital MicroscopesExternal Webcam For Macbook Airfor labwork and inspections. Wired and wireless Security Cameras. There are also fully-featured Voice and Video Conferencing Cameras witch mic and speakerphone hardware for business meeting and huddle room environments.About Driver-Free UVC Video Class WebcamsUVC is a compatibility standard for USB video chat cameras. Apple's UVC Kernel Extensions built into MacOS Mojave and Sierra, as well as OSX ElCapitan, Yosemitie, Mavericks, Lion and Leopard means any UVC compliant external USB camera should just work when plugged into a USB 2.0 speed or faster port. No additional webcam drivers are required. Windows 7/8/10, Linux, Andrioid, and Chrome OS also natively support UVC class video cameras.The cams listed here are ideal as an add-on webcam for an Apple Mac mini or Pro tower. They can also provide iMac and MacBook users more flexibiity in camera placement and quality over their built-in iSight. They're also good cross-platform PC and Linux webcams for those who use VMWare Fusion, Parallels or Apple's BootCamp on their Macs to run other operating systems. The majority of recent Logitech's webcam models are now UVC compliant and officially supported on a Mac. However, many older discontinued mid-to-low end Logitech cameras were not UVC compliant: Depends on model number, different internal sensors, and part numbers. Dirt Cheap Generic UVC Mac Webcams'You get what you pay for..' seems to apply to many dirt-cheap no-name import USB video class web cameras. Feeling lucky? Don't care about warranty or returning it? Then explore cheap webcams on eBay or Amazon for ought-to, should, might probably work on an Apple driverless web camera options from China. In our testing, many of the cheap import cameras available for $10-$15 had high dead-on-arrival failure rates. Image quality varied widely. Some claimed to be High-Def 'HD' but were only low-resolution VGA camera sensors. Microphones sounded poor or were non-functional. Even some of the cams with a decent image simply stopped working soon after purchase. Overall they were poorly-constructed, cheap junk with a few rare exceptions.Apple Compatible Web Cameras For Old MacsFor long obsolete Macs from the G4 and G5 era, remember UVC compliant webcams require USB 2.0 or faster ports. With their slow CPUs, 640x480 won't overwelm them. The Mac MUST also be running OSX 10.4.x at a minimum - the point where Apple began including UVC device support into the OS.![]() VGA QuickCam Ultra - 640x480 Fixed Focus Pico iMage USB 2.0 Webcam: Like: Click Tilt Adjustment. Good Light Response & Color Balance. Standard Tripod Camera Mount Hole Dislike: Rather GRAINY Image - No Built-in Microphone LOUSY BUDGET CAM: MacAlly VGA IceCam 2 Like: Sturdy Clip, Adjustable Focus Ring, On Indicator LED Dislike: Needs VERY Bright Light Levels. Off-Color Problems. Cheap Import Cam Rebranded with MacAlly Logo. Harsh, Hollow Sounding Microphone. Looks-Like-A-Logitech Driverless Cam Like: Penny-Pincher Cheap UVC cam. Good Image Sharpness Dislike: Ripoff Design. Low Quality Microphone Microsoft Live! Web Cam - Value Priced Like: Suprising Image Quality, Adjustable Focus Ring, Low-Cost Dislike: Stand Designed For Desktop Not Laptop. No Microphone Webcams For Obsolete Macs?Trying to keep an antique Macintosh in use? Think FireWire instead. Modern high-resolution UVC cams simply WILL NOT WORK on old 800mhz or less Macs, who's slow and incompatible USB 1.x speed ports are FOURTY TIMES slower than USB 2.0. Those that claim to be USB 1.1 compatible in their specification listings may have utterly abysmal frame-rates on USB 1.x or show NO image at all, even though Apple's System Profiler may show that the camera exists on the USB 1.1 bus. Otherwise you're left dinking around with any of hundreds of old, discontinued webcams made for Windows and fiddling with Macam open-source drivers hoping for a combination that will work.You can still find decent, used Apple iSight cams at Amazon or find a deal on an iSight on eBay. Sadly, Apple stopped manufacturing their very high-quality 1394 FireWire auto-focus web camera rather quickly. 1394 is better than USB for video conferencing and chat in many technical aspects: External FireWire webcam compatibility with iMovie, less CPU overhead, high frame-rates and avoids USB device contention when slugging it out on a USB hub. USB cameras aren't the only options to provide Macintosh users with high quality choices to chat and videoconference using popular Mac OSX applications like FaceTime, Yahoo Messenger, Apple Messages, Skype, and ISPQ VideoChat, or for capturing and uploading clips to YouTube, Vimeo, Daily Motion or other video sites. Choosing An External Mac Compatible Web Cam![]() Video Conferencing Microphones & HeadsetsExternal Camera For Macbook ProMost, but not all Macs have a built-in microphone for 'good enough' sound capture. But another option is a good quality Mac compatible USB webcam with a mic which most (but not all) webcams incorporate. A separate USB desktop microphone might be desired to provide the best sound quality to improve your online voice and video capture and recording sessions.Headsets or earbuds can help you have a far better videoconferencing, FaceTime or Mac Skype call experience and help minimize background noise, echo and feedback. USB headsets may have more advantages than 1/8' Analog mini-jack types that often compete with your external speaker system. A high-quality Mac headset comes in handy for not only Mac VOIP, video conferences and Apple speech recognition, but top notch iTunes audio playback and Podcast recording and listening as well. 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